If you want to lose fat in the most efficient manner, you're going to have to pay attention to diet, incorporate some strength training and do aerobic or cardio exercise. Of course, you can do cardio exercise outdoors by jogging, riding a road bike, swimming, and similar types of activities.

But many people choose to use machines for their cardio workouts. Which is the best machine for fat loss?

Well, the treadmill is going head to head with the elliptical trainer for most popular piece of cardio training equipment these days. The exercise bike seems to have lost some of its luster. But does that mean it's not as good as a treadmill for fat loss? Let's take a look at the pros and cons of both machines.

Ease of operation

With most exercise bikes, you get on and start pedaling. Most people know how. However, operating a treadmill will require some familiarity with the controls. Even if you use a treadmill regularly, it might take you a few minutes to figure out what's what on a different model.

Economics

Treadmills have electric motors that cost money to run. How much money depends on how often and for how long you use the machine. Exercise bikes cost nothing to operate. As a matter of fact, if you're mechanically inclined, you can rig up an exercise bike that will generate electricity, rather than use it!

Safety

I've seen some pretty humorous videos on the web of people falling off treadmills. Of course, in real life, that wouldn't be too funny, and it is a possibility. Anyway, it's pretty hard to fall off an exercise bike.

Bells and Whistles

Treadmills are more likely to have options to program workouts that either keep you at your desired heart rate, or provide an interval type of workout by varying speed and incline. These things are available on some exercise bikes, but it's not as common.

Quality of the Workout

This is what it's all about, right? How good of a workout the machine will give you. Well, the answer to that is that you'll get back what you put in. The harder and more consistently you work out, the better your results will be. So in the end, it comes down to finding the machine that you like enough to use on a regular basis, and then putting in the work. It doesn't matter whether that's the exercise bike or the treadmill, or an elliptical, or stairclimber, or even a jump rope. What does matter is that you use it on a regular basis.